Giants Terrell Thomas Says He Doesn’t Respect Gay People

I give Thomas credit for speaking his mind. He is entitled to his opinion, even if people don’t agree with it.

He did an in detailed interview with NJ.com about Michael Sam’s arrival into the NFL and he didn’t pull any punches.

Thomas on homosexuality: “I don’t believe in it, I don’t respect it, but if that’s what you want to do, so be it.

On having a gay man see him naked: “I think the biggest thing is going to be in the locker room. Not on the football field, not on the practice field, but in the locker room where guys are walking around naked, guys are joking, the way coaches talk, the way players talk, you have to be careful what you say because you don’t want to offend anybody.”

“It changes things around the locker room. How you can act, how you can talk. Unwanted attention to your organization, unwanted questions that you have to answer. It puts a lot of pressure on certain people who don’t want to be in that position.’’

On why some players might resent Sam: “Some team will have to hire a company to educate us and make sure we’re saying the right thing. All the extra stuff you have to go through, all the extra meetings, that’s something as veteran players we don’t want.”

I’m sure he won’t be the first gay guy to play in the NFL, but he’s the first openly one out, nobody knows him and I think more than anything it’s going to make the locker room uncomfortable.

I think some of the points Thomas makes are valid, I think others are ignorant, but his opinions are probably shared by more than a few players in the NFL who wouldn’t dare go public with those statements.

In the end, no one knows what is going to happen until Sam is in the league. It is my belief (and hope) that as long as he is a good player a lot of these prejudices, stereotypes and ignorant ways of thinking will go away from players.

7 COMMENTS

What part of his statement is ignorant? Good for him for saying what most people are thinking but will not say. I think he is spot on about walking around naked. I don’t understand why people don’t get this. You better believe Michael Sam checks guys out in the locker room if he is attracted to men. I am a heterosexual woman and if I was in a locker room with men, I (just naturally) would be checking guys out (yes, yes, no, yes, no, no etc). It is nature. We all do it everyday (with people that are clothed). It is not right and not fair to the other 52 men in that locker room. And as far as I know, Sam wasn’t drafted, he hasn’t arrived just yet!

Good points and as a heterosexual male I agree with you. But I have heard current and former players say they believed that they have played with gay men who were not open about it so they have to just treat Sam they would as a guy who was in the closet. The issue will be that players have to watch what they say and how they act around Sam for fear of offending anybody. Sam is going to have to develop thick skin and accept the locker room culture.

This dude is an idiot. First of all, there is a difference between having an opinion and being an ignorant bigot. Gay people do not choose to be gay, and if you think they do you’re a moron. When did you choose to be straight? Pretty much everything he said is ignorant.

And I’m NOT BUYING This “The NFL Players have to Change for the Benefit of HIM” Rhetoric Though SMDH

Michael Sam has to PROVE TO THEM (The ALREADY ESTABLISHED NFL Players…) that He Deserves to be AN NFL PLAYER ON THEIR TEAM… WHY Would a GROWN-MAN have to change for a NEWBIE Who hasn’t even PROVEN HIMSELF YET FOR (That makes NO MFing SENSE TO ME…) O__o

IT AMAZES ME the Accommodations that are being made for An OPENLY GAY PLAYER was never made for A BLACK PLAYER (At ANYTIME throughout Sports History to My Knowledge…) YET Just like Being considered PRO-BLACK is LQQKED UPON As A NEGATIVE… Being considered PRO-HETEROSEXUAL is LQQKED UPON As BEING AN IGNORANT BIGOT!!! SMDH